alt-text-writer

Alt Text Writer

What This Skill Does

Writes descriptive alt text for editorial images following WCAG accessibility guidelines — concise enough for screen readers, specific enough to convey the image's editorial purpose.

When To Use This Skill

• You're publishing articles online and need alt text for every editorial image before the page goes live
• Your CMS requires alt text fields and the current entries are empty or generic ("photo.jpg")
• You're auditing a publication's web content for accessibility compliance and need to rewrite inadequate alt text at scale
• You need alt text that serves both accessibility and SEO without compromising either

What You Need To Provide

Required:

• Description of the image: what is shown (people, objects, setting, action)
• The editorial context: what article or story this image accompanies and what role the image plays (lead image, supporting illustration, data visualization, portrait)

Optional:

• Names and titles of people in the image (if identified)
• Whether the image contains text that needs to be included in the alt text
• Any specific accessibility guidelines the publication follows beyond WCAG 2.1
• Whether the image is purely decorative (in which case alt text should be empty per WCAG)

How the Assistant Approaches This

1. Determines the image's editorial function. The same photograph requires different alt text depending on its role. A portrait of an interview subject needs identification and context. A lead image for a feature needs to convey the scene's mood and content. A chart needs its data summarized. The assistant reads the editorial context first, then writes alt text that serves the image's purpose in the article.

2. Writes for screen reader users, not search engines. Alt text is read aloud by assistive technology. The assistant writes in natural, spoken-language phrasing — not keyword-stuffed SEO text. The description is specific enough that a person who cannot see the image understands what it shows and why it matters to the article.